Sport and fitness for today’s youth
October 2008 £2.75
Expert calls for funding overhaul By Louise Cordell AN INDUSTRY expert has called for sports funding to be overhauled amid claims quality PE provision is a lottery depending on school budgets. Graham Morgan, director of Evolve Sport, said although teachers are expected to deliver PE, too much of their time is taken up by red tape and paperwork. Some schools, he said, have enough money to pay companies like his to deliver PE provision on their behalf but others are run on a shoestring and have no spare cash left over. He said: “It is not particularly fair. In affluent areas, parents can afford to pay for after school clubs and private schools have the funds available to pay for external help. But the smaller, inner city or countryside schools don’t always have that option, and although there are various schemes available to help they often don’t cover all the costs involved. “I believe properly trained, correctly monitored, external support staff have a definite role to play as there is a grey area of need.
“After all, extra help has always been brought in for music and language lessons, so why should sport be any different? If there is a weakness in provision then it needs to be addressed, not hidden or ignored.” Evolve Sport works with schools, clubs, colleges and LEAs to offer PE and sport classes and after school fitness clubs to children. The company also offers courses to help improve the skills, confidence and expertise of staff. Graham, a former secondary school head of PE, said: “Schools are under intense pressure to deliver. “We exist because there is a clear skills gap between teachers who leave college with limited sports education training, and coaches, who are trained to deal with smaller groups of interested kids rather than larger classes of mixed abilities. “Schools are facing big challenges with league tables and increased testing, and teachers are being pushed and squeezed to their limits. “This means they have less and less time to do non core activities, so external help is needed.”
Academy expands
Olympian Roger Black will be attending this year’s Sports Development Week to discuss how the 2012 Games can change young people’s attitude towards sport. He will be making the event’s keynote speech, encouraging all those involved in the industry to play their part in inspiring the next Olympic generation. His presentation is part of a programme of speakers at the UK’s first ‘Meeting the Challenge’ National Sports Conference, held alongside Leisure Industry Week at Birmingham’s NEC.
ONE of the world’s most effective programmes for weight loss, the Wellspring Academy, is to open one of its boarding schools in the UK. Designed for those between 11-24, the residential treatment school, in the Lake District, will employ a scientifically based clinically proven approach to weight loss, promoting a healthy lifestyle through a low-fat diet programme, activity management, and comprehensive cognitivebehavioral therapy. Pupils will learn dieting tips and food and science weight management. The school is set to open in three years’ time. It will take in children who are at least 20lb too heavy and have had diet problems for more than a year and they will be encouraged to take part in intensive physical activity and consume just 1,500 calories and 12g of fat per day.
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Young sports leader in trip of a lifetime By Lyndsey Smith A YOUNG sports leader from Derbyshire had the sporting trip of a lifetime after being selected to travel to Beijing during the Paralympics. Caelan Chambers, from Fairfield in Buxton, was just one of a hundred 18 to 25-year-olds from the UK to be selected as part of the British Council’s Young Advocate Programme. The 18-year-old former Buxton Community School student had a nine-day trip touring China, seeing Olympic and Paralympic venues, attending Paralympic events, and learning more about disability sport and Chinese culture. Caelan is now working with primary and secondary school pupils in the High Peak, sharing his experiences, and delivering sessions to promote Beijing and the cultural differences between China and the UK, as well as disability sport. He said: “I was very excited to go to
Beijing. It was amazing and I am now looking forward to working with the kids and sharing what I have learnt.” Caelan also attended a number of educational workshops and worked with young people from China and Hong Kong, sharing views on sport and disability sport. Community sports development officer Richard Gartside said: “Caelan is a perfect role model for young leaders and has shown a professional attitude in all the voluntary work he undertakes. “We are keen to support him in every way we can and are very proud. This shows people what opportunities are out there for young leaders. “ Caelan was selected for the British Council’s Young Advocate Programme after clocking up more than 250 voluntary hours through the Derbyshire Sports Leadership Academy in the past 12 months, and this year passed his Sports Leaders UK Level 3 Award.
Why kids are being served up chance to try tennis Page 16
Sports stars head for Leeds to back programme Page 11
Why Ricky’s ready to welcome youngsters to his gym Page 21
Caelan Chambers
Former champs back bid to get boxing on curriculum By Lyndsey Smith FORMER heavyweight boxing champions Frank Bruno and Julius Francis have thrown their weight behind an organisation aiming to get the sport back on the school curriculum. Boxing 4 Schools is pushing for schools to offer non contact boxing, and the professional boxers are drawing up structured lesson plans to provide a complete aerobic and anaerobic workout and encourage healthy eating. Wayne Llewellyn, founder of Boxing 4 Schools, said: “I came up with the idea whilst working in
Julius Francis, Frank Bruno and Wayne Llewellyn
Contacts Editor: Andrew Harrod - ah@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734639 Reporters: Lyndsey Smith- ls@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734472 Christina Eccles - ce@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734463 Mary Ferguson - mf@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734712 Louise Cordell - lcordell@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734694 Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Circulation enquiries to: Kelly Tarff kt@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734695
www.futurefitness.uk.net Sales and Product Manager: James Dickson - jd@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734672 Sales Executives: Sarah Young sy@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734709 Nichola Severn sales@futurefitness.uk.net Tel: 01226 734201 Studio Manager: Stewart Holt - sth@whpl.net Deputy group editor: Judith Halkerston
America where I was involved with a lot of underpriviledged kids in foster and care homes. “I brought them into the gym and was inspired by the positive effect it had on their lives and this is the driving force behind my ambition to re-introduce boxing into schools and non-contact back on the curriculum. “The benefits are absolutely immense. “Sport teaches kids about discipline, focus and concentration and all these skills transfer into the classroom making a better learning environment.”
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Dance instructor Darren Panton and students
Teens step away from gang culture By Louise Cordell SCHOOL children from some of the most deprived areas in south London are being given dance classes to keep them away from gang culture. The Greenhouse Schools Project organises dance and drama activities for children with classes including ballet, jazz, street and contemporary dance, salsa, African and swing. Over 100 sessions are run each week including with 1,735 children cur-
rently taking part. The classes aim to raise fitness levels and teach kids about their bodies as well as the various styles of dance. Bailey Ramsey-Jones, performing arts manager, said: “We find that street dance is very popular with kids from urban areas as popular culture means they are familiar with it. “However, we also actively seek to expose them to a wide range of different influences – I feel this is extremely important as a lot of them
simply don’t get the opportunities to see, let alone participate in other dance forms. I believe that our kids should have a choice, and only exposing them to what they know and not challenging their preconceptions is limiting them.” Many coaches and instructors make a social contract with the young people on the programmes and work closely with school staff. CEO Michael de Giorgio added: “This offers the consistency and continuity that is desperately needed at
this stage of a young person’s life. “This means that on a daily basis we see not only a striking improvement in self esteem and confidence, but also marked improvement in their attitude and academic performance.” Plans are now in place to expand the dance programme over the next 18 months, starting with a new instructor joining up for the autumn term, as well as combining dance and drama with classes like performance poetry and Capoeira.
Sports stars boost youngsters in £1m mentoring scheme By Lyndsey Smith SPORTS stars are to help young people reach their potential through a £1m youth mentoring scheme. The programme will receive funding over the next three years and aims to help young people in challenging circumstances by offering them help and advice from elite athletes. The project – which is being run in conjunction with Sport England and Youth Sport Trust – offers one-to-one and group mentoring, professional advice from the athletes, and encouragement. Culture secretary Andy Burnham said: “Each and every young person should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. “Sadly, too many youngsters go off the rails for want of someone they can respect to steer them in the right direction. "The Youth Mentoring Programme helps young people find a new passion to stimulate their interest and increase their self-confidence. “With just a little encouragement and advice these people may well go on to be sports stars of the future.” There are another two strands to the programme (music and media) and the sports strand is called the
Andy Burnham Respect Athlete Mentoring Programme (RAMP.) Projects are currently being run in London, Liverpool, Bristol, Birmingham, Hull, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Bradford and Sunderland.
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Girls learn benefits of exercise By Christina Eccles THE owner of a ladies only gym in London has revealed how she is helping teenage girls to learn the benefits of exercise and healthy eating. Geraldine Waring – who has run Sequinpark in Highbury and Islington for the past 20 years – allows this age group into the gym so they can work out in the privacy of a ladies only atmosphere, eliminating the self consciousness they may feel exercising in schools. She said: “We have introduced membership for 13 to 16 year old girls to encourage young people to be active. “This allows them to establish good patterns and take control of their bodies.” The gym’s weight management work with its members has also led to Sequinpark taking part in the FIA’s Go
programme for the last couple of years, working with schools for sessions lasting six weeks to advise girls on how to be active and educate them on nutrition. As a result of these sessions, many of the girls who come in to the gym like it so much they decide to become members. Geraldine added: “The programme involves learning about the importance of well being and taking care of yourself. It has been very successful and allows us to introduce young people to different types of exercise from games at school.” Sequinpark has about 600 members of all ages and has just celebrated its 20th birthday. Facilities include the gym plus a variety of classes ranging from pilates to body combat and relaxation such as massage and a steam room.
Students from Burton College have visited a local school to take the messages of healthy eating and exercise to pupils. The HND Sports Performance and Coaching students put the tour together as part of their course, which contains a module looking at promoting a healthy lifestyle. During the visits to William Hutson Junior School, the students tackled a variety of issues from nutritional information and how to adopt a healthier diet to the importance of taking regular exercise as part of an overall healthier lifestyle. They also ran a practical fitness session.
Lecturer Richard Smith said: “As part of their course the students have to organise an event covering everything from the initial creative idea to finance, promotion and working with business organisations. “They felt that it would be a great idea to visit local schools and offer information and advice on all of the aspects of adopting a healthier lifestyle from nutritional information through to easy recipe ideas.” Pictured, clockwise from left: Sehrish Mumtaz, Richard Smith, Aimee Nicholls and Ashley Matkin.
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Released academy players net second sporting chance through scheme By Lyndsey Smith YOUNG footballers are to be given a second sporting chance following an innovative scheme designed to get them competing again. UK Sport and the English Institute of Sport (EIS), together with the major football authorities, have offered over 1,000 released academy footballers the chance to take up the challenge and switch their talents to targeted Olympic sports. The aim of the programme, called Pitch2Podium, is to provide youngsters, aged 18-22, who have not yet secured a professional football contract, an opportunity to succeed in an alternative Olympic sport. Chelsea Warr, UK Sport’s talent identification lead said: “Football is the largest hot-bed of athletic talent in England and many players leaving the game would have already developed skills and abilities we’d be looking for. “These, coupled with the right coaching and support system, would give them the potential to be fasttracked toward the medal rostrum in 2012. “We invited 1,100 boys and 30
attended which was around the number we expected. We knew the uptake would be slow this first year until the boys realise what a big opportunity this is, and we hope that those that have been successful will act as role models in the future.” Fifteen players participated at each event in London and Manchester, with 23 short listed and invited to attend a phase two sport specific assessment, with eleven offered the opportunity in more than one sport. Sports likely to benefit are cycling, hockey, athletics, canoeing, bob skeleton and modern pentathlon, with those sports involved undertaking a phase two sports specific testing event post the Beijing Olympic period. Chelsea added: “We were very impressed with the sheer quality of athleticism, core skills and abilities of the players that attended. “It was interesting to see how many boys were able to produce performances on the various tests that met the phase one criteria of several Olympic sports.”
Chelsea Warr looks on as one of the football hopefuls is put through his paces. Picture: English Institute of Sport(EIS)
Child safety work is rewarded A SPORTS partnership in the North East has been rewarded for its work in child safety. Tyne and Wear Sport, one of 49 County Sports Partnerships, has been awarded the intermediate level of the NSPCC National Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport. The award demonstrates its commitment to creating a safer environment for children, where they can enjoy and get the best from their involvement in sport. David Marrin, assistant director for widening access at Tyne and Wear Sport said: “The continued work towards meeting these standards enables sports professionals to have the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of children. “These skills are vital if we are to achieve our aim of providing opportunities for all of our young people to make Tyne and Wear an active and successful sporting area.” The NSPCC standards cover areas including policy, education and training, communication, implementation and monitoring, prevention and codes of practice and behaviour.
news 7 Rugby superstar Johnny Whiteley has spent his life helping young people through exercise, letting them work out for free in his gym and turning many into professional athletes. Mary Ferguson reports.
How Johnny kept giving to sport AFTER thirty years helping Hull’s teenagers improve their fitness and their lives, Johnny’s gym in the city was forced to close in May – but reopened in a secondary school nearby. Johnny has managed rugby league teams for Great Britain and Yorkshire, and is a celebrity in his home city of Hull and throughout the sporting world. Now 77, he bought the Eureka working men’s club in Hull when he retired, and ran his gym from an attached garage for 30 years. Free for everyone, it was used by youngsters and their parents, who trained alongside rugby league players, Hull City footballers, boxers and marathon runners. Local teachers would bring their pupils, and Johnny covered the costs himself. When the council ordered the clubs closure as part of the regeneration of the area, Johnny said he just accepted the decision. “I’ve always had a good relationship with the council and I didn’t want to fight it. I could see the area needed a lot of work doing to it. “We tried to find other premises for the gym but couldn’t, so decided to give the equipment to one of the youth rugby teams in Hull.
Sports college hosts partnership launch day to mark venture By Lyndsey Smith A CATHOLIC sports college in Lancashire has become the new host of the Preston School Sport Partnership. Corpus Christi college hosted a launch day to celebrate the new venture where young people from across the county took part in a medley of
Johnny Whiteley “However that afternoon, I got a call from a private school nearby who had read about our plight in the paper and offered us a space at their school. We went to see it and were delighted.” The gym was moved to The Collegiate College and although it now belongs to them, Johnny has access to it two nights a week. “I’ve fallen in love with the gym at the school. We have fallen into utopia really because it is so modern.”
Even though he has handed over the reins, Johnny is still dedicated to helping Hull’s youngsters through sport. He added: “When the gym closed I thought it would be a good opportunity to retire, but I still spend lots of my time travelling around schools taking exercise classes with the kids. “I became an icon in West Hull amongst the children and I know I influenced a lot of them to become professional sports people.”
Alan Whittaker with pupils from the college sport including cycling, athletics, tennis and golf. Alan Whittaker, chair of the county council joined in the celebrations. He said: “The School Sport Partnership is a fantastic scheme and it’s great to see so many young people enjoying themselves and keeping fit. “It’s so important for children to keep fit and healthy, not just to help
them to get the best out of their lives now but also to reduce the risk of illness in the future.” The Preston partnership started in 2003 and has helped to increase participation in school sports by over 40 per cent with 80 per cent of pupils aged five to 16 now taking part in at least two hours of high quality school sports activities every week.
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Clowning around could help increase activity levels at school By Lyndsey Smith CHILDREN at a school in South Yorkshire could soon be taught circus skills as part of a new project to increase activity levels. St John the Baptist School in Barnsley has drawn up an action plan for the next academic year and is considering circus skills as an alternative to more traditional PE classes. It comes after teachers had a staff meeting with a difference when they hosted a taster session with Lets Go Kids - a company that aims to improve children’s health and fitness and promote the fun elements. Teachers worked out on a bouncy castle and did a cheerleading session. Katie Mountain, PE co-ordinator, said: “We already have an active participation in physical activity and are at the silver level of the Healthy Schools award. “However we are always looking to try new things and this session was both varied and fun. Our planning document for next year is going to more skills based and although it is a work in progress there are certainly courses we hope will fit in quite well. “For example, we are going to be doing some work around a circus
theme and Lets Go Kids offer juggling and tightrope walking so it all fits together quite nicely.” Katie is confident the kids will enjoy the sessions just as much as the staff did. She added: “It was a great team building exercise for us and also it shows the kids we are willing to lead by example. “I definitely think they will take to this. “They are always enthused with anything the teachers have done.” Lets Go Kids has been up and running for 18 months and is the brainchild of Lisa Kitchen and James Marvin. Director Lisa said: “We started up because as parents we had a passion to get kids active and we believe the key points to successfully leading a healthy lifestyle are variety and understanding. “That is why we provide many activities that are relevant and topical, tailoring a six week programme for each school, as they are very much at the core of what we do. “Not everyone is sport orientated so we try to motivate and stimulate imagination by constantly developing new games.”
Dodworth school and Let’s Go Kids staff
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Squash to be promoted as part of fitness drive By Lyndsey Smith MORE children and families will be encouraged to play squash as part of a fitness drive through gym chain Total Fitness. All of the gyms in the chain are now officially affiliated with governing body England Squash, following a successful demonstration day at Total Fitness in Warrington. John Gibson, north west area manager for England Squash, said: “This will help promote mini squash and racketball as great sports for children and families. When we had the demo day it was amazing how enthusiastic everyone was and trainers who had hardly been on a squash court before were saying it was great fun.
“It’s about the fundamentals, rediscovering the joys and benefits of sport particularly with all this talk of obesity in youngsters these days.” The affiliation means the two organisations can co-operate on special squash promotions and trainers at the clubs can consider a number of coaching options. John added: “It has a great feel about it and seems inclusive, not just about catering for people who are already good at a sport or who have lots of money to throw around. “At Total Fitness it’s not just middle class people being exclusive, but about encouraging families and children to get active together in a great atmosphere.” Vicky Newton, group family devel-
opment manager at Total Fitness, said: “It’s a way of encouraging families to exercise and have a good time. “England Squash have given us lots of special mini squash kit for children, and racketball rackets, which we are distributing around all the clubs.” Mini squash, aimed at children aged five to 11, is played with a larger, softer ball and on special promotional England Squash road shows to schools it can be played in a games hall using a mini squash wall or in an inflatable court. Racketball, which is becoming popular with the over-40s, features tennis-like racquets and a larger, softer ball, and is played on a standard squash court.
Trip of a lifetime ...
Students were given a flavour of Beijing with the mini olympics event.
Pupils get a taste of Beijing MORE than 250 South Derbyshire school pupils were given a flavour of Beijing when a Mini Olympics was held at The Pingle School in Swadlincote. Children aged five to seven from more than ten different infant and primary schools took part in the Olympics-themed athletics activities. The festival was led by 40 young leaders, who took pupils through a series of throwing, running and jumping events. South Derbyshire competition manager Phil Basterfield said: “This is the first time that a Mini Olympics has been staged at The Pingle School. “There was a great deal of enthusiasm for the event, with so many
schools taking part, and it captured some of the Olympics magic ahead of the big event in Beijing.” The event was organised by South Derbyshire School Sport Partnership and Derbyshire Sport. Taking part in the Mini Olympics were children from the following schools: Elmsleigh Infant School, St. Edward’s Catholic Primary School, Linton Primary School, Walton on Trent CE Primary School, Fairmeadows Primary School, Newhall Infant and Nursery School, Woodville Infant School, Belmont Primary School, Hartshorne C of E Primary School, Netherseal St Peter’s CE Primary School, and Church Gresley Infant and Nursery School.
UK STUDENTS had the trip of a lifetime when they flew to the Olympics to witness the opening ceremony and take part in the final stages of an educational project. More than 160 students from nine schools flew to Beijing for the final stage of the the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust’s (SSAT) ‘Towards the Olympics’ project which has involved English students sharing cultures, language and sporting activities with their Chinese counterparts. The trip featured a 12-day tour around schools in China, and involved meeting partner schools in Beijing and Hong Kong as well as a kite-flying event celebrating the Olympics, featuring English and Chinese students. Ken Walsh, associate director at the SSAT, said: “This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for these students, and the culmination of a lot of hard work, during which time students in England and China have built important relationships and shared cultures, languages and sports. “The trip was all about the Beijing games but the project also looks towards the 2012 games in London and will hopefully inspire schools in other countries to form links with English schools, using the Olympics as a catalyst for students to interact and find out more about each other's cultures.”
Hockey hopefuls support sports camps YOUNG hockey players took part in sporting camps over the summer thanks to the Active Surrey schools sport partnership and Gryphon hockey. The two paired up to provide exclusive hockey clinics that catered for 240 players of various abilities and were supported by
current Great Britain hockey hopefuls Ben Marsden, James Tindall and Rob Moore, who coached some of the sessions before they flew off to the Beijing Games. Also joining some of the sessions was Australian Olympic gold medal winner Michael McCann, interna-
tional Australian hockey player Tristram Woodhouse and England squad member Richard Springham. The clinics focused on developing core skills and match play, and also gave the young hockey players an insight into how to train like an international player.
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Ambergate School focuses heavily on adventure and outdoor learning.
Special school in sports status first By Louise Cordell A SPECIAL school in Grantham has used its outdoor activities programme to help it become the first in the county to achieve mainstream specialist sports status. Ambergate School has had to fulfill exactly the same criteria as mainstream schools and is one of only 25 nationally to do so. The designation is the result of a four-year process in raising the academic, social and sporting standards within the school. Headteacher Peter Bell said: “The new status we have received is based
on excellent academic standards and providing a broad and balance curriculum. “We had had to demonstrate that the sport we provide is a vehicle that allows us to engage pupils and that their academic and behavioural standards have risen because of it. “For us it is about how far we take our kids, not how high, and we find that the confidence that they get from our sporting activities impacts positively on every other area of school life.” The school focuses heavily on adventure and outdoor learning
including canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking, hill walking and Duke of Edinburgh activities, on top of the standard PE curriculum. It also works in four other local schools and several community groups, supporting them with activity learning. Peter added: “As a school we have found that when the children come to us they tend to see education as a negative experience because of their additional needs. “The great thing about things like adventure learning is that these are activities that no one has done
before, so everyone is starting with a clean slate and are not held back by any negative baggage.” Being awarded specialist status also means the school will receive a number of financial benefits including a £120,000 grant which will be spent on new equipment and £60,000 for staffing and community work. Peter added: “Our pupils are now very proud to be able to say that they go to a sports college rather than a special school, it is a great confidence boost for them and they are very proud to have contributed to the school’s achievement.”
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Parents to be sent obesity warning letters By Nicola Hyde PARENTS are to be sent letters warning them their children are overweight as part of a campaign to crack down on obesity. From this term, Primary Care Trusts will be sending out the data gained from the National Child Measurement Programme, where those between four and five and ten and 11 were weighed. Health Minister Ivan Lewis has announced new guidance which includes diplomatic example letters for parents. He said: “It’s clear from research we’ve done that parents want to know their child’s results and whether there is a concern about
their health. But they want clear information which is helpful and non-stigmatising. “Research shows that most parents of overweight or obese children think that their child is a healthy weight. This important move isn’t about pointing the finger and telling parents that their children are overweight, instead it’s about equipping parents with the information they need to help their children live healthier lives.” Figures published earlier this year showed that, last year, 22.9 per cent of children in reception year were overweight or obese. In year six, that figure rose to 31.6 per cent. Children's minister Kevin Brennan said a lot of pressure will
fall onto schools to deliver in tackling obesity due to heavy investments. He added: "Schools are well placed to make a real difference in tackling obesity – with record investment in sport and exercise, encouraging active travel to and from home, making cooking compulsory in secondary schools, scrapping junk food and transforming the quality of school lunches. "But at the end of the day, parents bring up children, not the Government, schools or health services. Every parent wants their child to be fit and healthy so it's only right to help them make informed decisions about their lives."
Sports stars visit Leeds to back national youth programme By Louise Cordell SPORT stars Linford Christie and Darren Campbell visited Leeds as part of national youth programme Street Athletics. They joined over 100 kids at Leeds Thomas Danby Sports Centre racing over 60 metres in ages groups of under 13s, under 15s, under 17s and under 20s. Linford said: “I think events like this are great because it is so important to give children a chance to experience something new. “We are aiming to attract the kids who are not in the sports clubs, who prefer to stay at home with their games consoles and who don't exercise. “And its working because now we have seen thousands of young people taking part in races across the country. "It lets them see that sport is fun and hopefully they will keep it up and realise that they could make it a career. Street Athletics is targeted at youngsters who are not engaged in mainstream sports and uses community sports events to increase their confidence and motivation. The three girls and boys who won each age group will now be joining winners from 23 other events around the country for a national final in Manchester in September. Linford added: “When I was younger we just joined the school team because we were proud to be wearing the colours, we never thought about making a career out of it. But really kids today have no excuse – when I was growing up there were no role models like there are now and they can even do degrees in sport, there are just so many new opportunities.
Linford Christie and participating kids “Now I think people need to look at why kids aren’t able to make the most of these opportunities, deal with that and encourage them to do
the best they can – let them know that they can do it and that there are real possibilities out there.”
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Teachers ‘let down’ by lack of PE training By Lyndsey Smith
sports has had more attention over the last decade but there is definitely more investment needed in terms of curriculum PE.
PRIMARY school teachers are being let down because they aren’t given enough training in how to deliver PE classes, according to experts. Girls from Kingsbury High School in London will be performing at Leisure Industry Week to showcase the dancebased ‘Go’ programme. The scheme – run through the Fitness Industry Association – targets obesity and inactivity in teenage girls. The demonstrations will be instructor-led dance and aerobic-based sessions that illustrate how the programme breaks down choreography. Andrée Deane, CEO, said: “Importantly, the programme is based on sustainability: FIA
member clubs that are involved have to provide exit routes at their facilities for the girls to feed into following the programme. We are aiming to impact their attitude towards and physical take up of activity on a long-term basis and help them lay the foundations for a healthy life.” Developed in 2006, the programme targets girls in their final year of secondary school – a key age when girls’ activity levels drop off.
Youth fitness training for staff STAFF at the Hollins Hall Hotel and Country Club in Shipley are to receive special training in how to deliver fitness classes for children. It is hoped the new initiative will help expand the club’s health and fitness provision and attract new visitors. Shokk will be training employees in the REPS accredited foundation module ‘Instructing Young People in a Gymnasium Environment’, Shokk Kombat and Shokk JNR training. Chris Newsham, director of leisure, said: “We already have extensive
health facilities, including a spa, fitness centre, two gyms and a golf course. But by taking the Shokk training we add another string to our bow by being able to provide advice and lead young people in group and individual exercise activities. “Youth activity has become a huge national issue and yet remains an area largely unserviced by the UK hotel industry. “By working with Shokk we hope to differentiate ourselves significantly and show that we understand the changing needs of our customers.”
Margaret Talbot, chief executive of the Association of Physical Education, said while secondary schools have specialised PE teachers, primary schools suffer due to the lack of help and training available. She said: “This is our organisation’s biggest beef. “There should be more initial and sustainable training for primary school teachers with some receiving six hours or less at present. “Young teachers are being let down. They are going into schools with no confidence and they need more help and provision. “Lots of teachers do try very hard but have to deal with very patchy training. It is a systematic problem that can be fixed but people just aren’t interested.” Margaret said that AfPE have written several times to ask for help from the Training and Development Agency – which is responsible for supplying teachers and training – but they have had no response.
“There is a lot of funding going into after hours sports but not everyone is able to attend out of hours classes or access out of school sport. “There is some fantastic practice going on but this is thanks to funding from head teachers and such like when it should be coming from other sources.” Margaret also feels the Department of Health should be doing more to help obese and overweight children. She said: “There is not one quick fix. It has got to be a multi agency approach and the Department of Health can’t seem to join the bits up, they can’t deal with it. “In terms of PE they have two sections, one working on young kids and one on older. They are providing funding but can’t link the two together.
Margaret added: “PE and school
“They should be doing more and it seems as though the non government agencies are putting more time and effort in when this shouldn’t be the case.”
A team of staff members from the Putney Leisure Centre have won gold in the Mazda London Triathlon sprint relay race. Health and fitness manager John Coolahan took up the challenge with his DC Leisure centre colleagues Simon Clasby and Toby Pearson. The three completed a 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run, finishing almost six minutes ahead of their nearest rivals and improving on their finishing time for last year. John said: “It was a good race, although it didn’t
all go quite as smoothly as planned. “The rain that came down made the conditions somewhat treacherous making the bike leg a nightmare. “As a result I came off and ended up having stitches in my elbow.” The team were sponsored by fitness equipment suppliers Precor and also used the opportunity to raise money for children’s charity Barnardo’s. Pictured, from left, Simon Clasby, John Coolahan and Toby Pearson
Pupils get summer lessons on staying fit By Lyndsey Smith
stay fit and healthy.”
MORE than 60 young pupils from Hull primary schools learned how to stay fit and healthy over the summer as part of the children’s university programme. Muscles and motivation were just two of the topics covered during the four sessions delivered by trainers from Total Fitness and Hull Kingston Rovers rugby league club. Claire Blacklock, an instructor at Total Fitness, headed up the sessions. She said: “The idea was to provide a gradual introduction to exercise and encourage the children to continue with it after the course. “We start off by finding out what they do at the moment, whether that’s walking to school or taking the dog out, then we try to get across the message that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day is a great way to
It was the second course the two clubs have run this year and it involved three local primary schools – Thanet, Griffin and Victoria Dock – and a total of 66 children aged nine and ten. The first sessions explained about major muscle groups and explained the importance of warming up, followed by boxercise and a lesson in motivation. Claire added: “It’s all right doing exercise when they come here, but we want them to carry on, so I hope that my motivational tips will help them do just that.” Total Fitness has played its part in encouraging kids to get fit by installing a family zone in its Hull Club which includes a variety of specialist equipment, including exercise bikes and rowing machines, for accompanied children from the age of four.
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Rowing bid gets off to a good start By Lyndsey Smith A ROWING project in Plymouth is helping to engage more youngsters in physical activity while developing competitive out of school hours learning. The Plymstock School Sports Partnership rowing project is now in its fourth year and water based courses are now being run alongside the initial dry land programmes. Rob Wright, partnership development manager, said: “The project made a good start with students regularly attending dry land clubs on school sites and some joining water based gig rowing and traditional fine boat clubs. “We wanted to create competitive opportunities for dry land and water based rowing while keeping youngsters fit and healthy.” The number of schools taking part has risen to over twenty with initial success prompting the partnership to purchase a further 30 rowing machines. These were placed at five
secondary and special schools and also at pupil referral units, specifically for use by pupils disengaged from mainstream education. Now over 200 students regularly attend indoor rowing clubs on school sites with a number going on to join local rowing clubs. Key stage four and five students are being trained as leaders and instructors. Rob added: “It worked because it is fun, popular, low risk and easy to provide and students receive instant feedback and can set personal targets. Indoor rowing is open to all pupils and now the water-based sessions are very successful, as the emphasis on skill, team building and fun has taken the pupils to a different element of physical and mental activity leading to more self confidence.” Investment has come from the Amatuer Rowing Association’s Project Oarsome Extra scheme for equipment for pupils to take part in waterbased learn to row courses at local clubs.
Rock-It-Ball honoured its achievers over the summer following the successful conclusion of the first Rock-It-Ball League. Members of the Rock-It-Ball community gathered to celebrate and award the first honours with highlights including the presentation of the first Hall of Fame Awards to Craig Buttery, right, and Tom Hildreth, left. The Hall of Fame is designed to honour and thank those people who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of the sport.
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Children from a sports summer camp helped raise the Olympic flag for Great Britain at a leisure centre in Sheffield. Ponds Forge International Sports Centre was home to the city’s flag for six weeks to commemorate the beginning of London’s Olympiad period. And children from the centre’s summer holiday Kids Club helped to raise the flag, symbolising Sheffield’s role in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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Project targets young kids in fitness drive By Louise Cordell A PROJECT aimed at getting kids involved in sport at an earlier age is being launched at the British Heart Foundation’s National Centre for Physical Activity and Health. The focus will be on early years provision, looking at what can be done to improve activity levels in younger children how to build up basic developmental skills before they move on to more difficult activities. It is hoped that the earlier an active lifestyle becomes the norm, the less chance there will be of them dropping out of sport and developing weight problems. Anna Chalkley, project manager, said: “The problem is that the issues of under activity and obesity in kids are often underestimated. “For example, weighing and measuring schemes in schools can be opted out of and it is usually those that are overweight and unfit that take advantage of that. “This means that we aren’t getting the whole picture, and if we did then the situation would be even more
serious than is currently believed.” In order to address this, a popular scheme run by the centre is the Participation Award, which was introduced to try and encourage kids to reach their 60 minutes of exercise a day target. Children are provided with a pack containing games and activity ideas, together with a physical activity diary to fill out over six weeks. Once it is completed, parents or club leaders can send off for the participation award certificate. Anna added: “The award is about recognising the effort the kids are making, encouraging them and getting them into healthy lifestyle habits – as it is often forgotten that ordinary, everyday activities contribute to that 60-minute target. “It is also a good way to get parents involved in the activities, as research has shown that the family oriented approach is one of the most successful. But really it is about schools, clubs, parents and the kids themselves all taking responsibility for active lifestyles and working together to achieve the best results.”
A Staffordshire sports college has secured funding to further improve its facilities. The Blessed Robert Sutton school, Burtonupon-Trent, has received £1.8m from organisations, including the Football Foundation, Sport England and the Consolidated Charities of Burton. An artificial turf sports pitch has been completed, designed primarily for football, and is lined for both full size and five-aside versions of the game. Level-entry hockey will also be played, as well as netball, rounders and other informal recreational play and sporting activities. Alastair Moore of AP Thompson Sports
Engineering Ltd, who installed the pitch, said: “The new pitch offers the pupils and local community a fantastic facility that will reap many rewards and benefits. “With the Building Schools for the Future programme now rolling out, I think local authorities planning new external sporting facilities can learn a great deal from the Blessed Robert Sutton scheme.” Pictured from left: Tony Downey, headteacher (Blessed Robert Sutton Sports College), Steve Grainger MBE (chief executive Youth Sports Trust) Julie-Anne Weir (director of Sport Blessed Robert Sutton College).
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Above: Primary pupils are to be introduced to tennis.
Left: Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova visited students at Kings College in London to talk about the importance of staying hydrated. The event was organised by sports drink Gatorade.
1.5m children to get tennis chance By Lyndsey Smith A NATIONAL initiative has been launched which is committed to giving more primary school children the opportunity to play tennis. The Tennis Foundation’s Tennis In The Community project aims to have 1.5 million children introduced to the sport by 2012 – and wants it to become a key part of the curriculum by offering teachers resources and equipment. Sue Mappin, chief executive, said: “This is a long term strategy aimed at getting more kids involved throughout the whole of the country. "The most important area of development for us right now is finding good coaches able and willing to deliver in schools and a community environment, but there also has to be somewhere for kids to go and play.”
The Tennis Foundation is also running a pilot scheme for the Youth Sport Trust, trialling inter school competitions, working with qualified coaches in local areas. Sue added: “We need to find out what is happening already in an area, in schools, parks and clubs, and then enhancing that. “We can set up competitions that work around existing schemes and workshops and are looking to provide one primary park in every local education authority. “We need to expand the base of the game, scope talent for the future, and develop a local base where we utilise schools. "Anyone can play tennis. You can take it up when you're three and play until you're 95. It's sociable and will keep you fit and healthy."
Initiative serves up tennis training for tots By Lyndsey Smith NURSERY age children are to be offered tennis training under a programme in London run through Wimbledon. The Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative – run by the All England Club in conjunction with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) – is targeting younger children as it is rarely offered to that age group. Head coach Dan Bloxham said: “You've got to get in there early, nursery, reception or year one, and really teach those basic agility, balance and coordination skills. “They're essential, the foundation of so many sports, and you need to set habits from an early age. “Unfortunately in primary schools, children are taught PE by non-specialist teachers, and tennis is a specialised skill, so if teachers don't play
themselves, they won't feel comfortable teaching it. We can go into schools and give teachers ideas on how to teach basic ball and racquet skills and make it fun – we are now making a DVD to help them.” Dan and his team visit two schools in Merton and Wandsworth each week to run tennis fitness sessions. He said: “We try and make it fun and enjoyable whilst remaining competitive and amongst other things it is certainly good for their self esteem and confidence.” The programme now has a database of around 1,000 kids and there are plans to encourage more schools to run tennis competitions to increase interest. He added: “The club wanted to portray a more updated and junior friendly image and I think we are doing that whilst putting something back into the local area.”
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Rhinos link up to offer children new opportunities By Lyndsey Smith A LINK up between a professional rugby league club and specialist education company has led to more youngsters participating in healthy activity. Leeds Rhinos and ESP (Education and Special Projects Ltd) are working together to offer children a chance to experience multi-skills zones, an innovation showcased at the Headingley Carnegie stadium. Headteachers, partnership development managers, coaches and parents attended the launch which outlined the scheme and provided a practical demonstration of movement development which can be implemented into schools and lead to nationally accredited training for primary school teachers. Training is designed to maximise the impact of the zone on movement and physical activity levels and this is sustained through visits by Rhinos community coaching staff who deliver sessions as part of their community programme. Scott Benton, ESP CPD lead trainer said: “We do lots of work within
schools, as do the Rhinos, and it seemed a natural progression to link up. “At the launch we set out our multi skill zone markings which are specifically designed to challenge movement patterns in terms of stability, object control and locomotion. “It proved to be very successful and the kids really enjoyed it. It is a nonpressurised, fun environment where they can enjoy themselves. “Rugby league, as a team game, can be seen as quite intimidating for children and we take the edge off that, incorporating skills of the game with fundamental motor skills.” Teacher support sessions are offered and can be used to sustain the use of multi skills zones through support of community sports coaches in curricular and extra curricular activity. Scott said: “This isn’t an elitist activity. Everyone can take part and we work with children from early years through to special needs. “It is a fantastic opportunity for kids
More girls are giving rugby league a try ... By Lyndsey Smith PARTICIPATION in girls rugby league is on the increase with more youngsters than ever playing within schools and the community. The Rugby Football League (RFL) became involved in 2006 and girls now have the opportunity to participate at fortnightly summer festivals in the North West and Yorkshire, at under 12, 14 and 16 level. Further festivals are planned in Scotland, Wales, London, North East and the Midlands culminating in the Champion of Champions Festival, where regional champions from all over the UK will compete for this prestigious title. Donna Sladdin, national female administrator for the RFL said: “The first year proved very successful and registrations increased from around 200 who played, pre-RFL involvement, to around 450/ 500, and now we have nearly 600 girls registered and playing regularly.” A cup competition has now been introduced and Donna believes this can only be good for the development of the game. She said: “The Northern Rail Cup was introduced last year with the final played ahead of the men’s Northern Rail Cup Final, and this season we included under 14 level too. There was a great atmosphere and the girls got a taste of playing at a
professional stadium.” The female game is successfully integrated within all relevant community development programmes and there are now record numbers of girls participating in the Carnegie Champion Schools Competition, which has been a very successful development tool. There are more than 165 school teams and 1,980 players competing and girls are benefiting nationwide from a sustained and well-organised development programme highlighted by the emergence of more than 30 amateur clubs that have, or are, developing female sections, with nearly 400 girls registered to play. There are many other projects running in a number of areas which are increasing the number of girl’s playing, coaching and administrating, and this growth will now concentrate on long term female participation, strong club infrastructures and the development of a performance pathway. Julia Lee, RFL national community development manager, added: “The female game is benefiting from improved organization and the girl’s game is one of the fastest growing areas of the sport. “England women are participating in the World Cup in Australia this autumn and this should provide a great boost for the female game going forward.”
Leeds Rhinos – from left – Jamie Peacock, Matt Diskin, Jamie Jones Buchanan, Kevin Sinfield in a child friendly, centred environment that goes hand in hand with the rugby league. “The Rhinos are looking to use the
zones themselves proving the scale of appeal is as far ranging as key stage one through to professional athletes.”
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Pupils working out with latest equipment SCHOOLCHILDREN from one of Bristol’s most deprived areas are having PE lessons in a new gym, thanks to a dual site scheme. Brunel Fitness Centre – part of the Bristol Brunel Academy’s campus – was designed to offer private club standard facilities. The gym is used by school age children as well as adults and so equipment had to be selected to meet the needs of both sets of clients. It was kitted out with 20 CV stations, eight resistance machines and free-weights and Cardio Theater from Precor. Children are taken through a detailed programme showing them how to use the equipment and are supervised by PE teachers, as well as the fitness instructors in the gym. John Allan – managing director of Active Leisure Management (ALM) which
manage the site – said: “The use of this kind of equipment in a school is not something we would have normally gone for, primarily because of budget limitations. “But what we have found here is that because of scope of different programmes available we’ve spent more time teaching the children how to use the equipment, what muscle groups they can exercise, how many repetitions they need to do which has made the whole experience a lot more educational. “We’ve found that they’ve really enjoyed this and are very enthusiastic about using the equipment. Certainly they’ve used it very responsibly and if we could afford it we’d definitely use commercial equipment in a school again.” Brunel Fitness Centre is one of 48 dual purpose sites managed by ALM.
How to provide for future health of our children By Mark Turner, SportsArt Fitness TO undertake the development of a new school gym or fitness training room sound quite daunting, but as many schools, colleges and universities already have dedicated gyms and sports halls the question is more often – how can we improve on the fitness facilities we have got and how can we fund and justify the expenditure? There appears to be a shift in the emphasis on students' physical education away from general activity and games to planned lifelong fitness and to schools and colleges can now look to source funding to develop facilities that can be used for the benefit of the students. There are many government health and fitness initiatives which support educational establishments to develop quality fitness facilities for the purpose of encouraging student participation and even for ‘dual use’ operation. The thought of major investments can be a hurdle for some educational establishments, but equipment manufacturers now look to offer ‘one-stop sourcing’ to provide full planning, supply of equipment, service maintenance, marketing facilities and financial packages. Schools and colleges can purchase fitness equipment outright or can lease or rent fitness equipment and avoid major upfront investment. Planning a gym can be a daunting task as most modern facilities look to include a balance of fitness equipment cardio, strength and accessories. This can include treadmills, cross trainers, steppers, rowing machines
Mark Turner and strength training equipment including multi gyms and free weights. This can be influenced by space restrictions as there is a need for efficient subdivision of equipment spaces to provide for safe internal flows and ease of management. No two educational facilities have exactly the same requirements so you need to effectively plan any facility. By consulting a company that will assist in planning can ensure financial savings and optimum facilities for safe use. As demands for gym changes occur, the layout should provide for flexibility and ease of changeover. It is important to ensure that staff are trained by the supplier and equipment is serviced on a regular basis to ensure that it is maintained, safe and fit for purpose.
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Universities are spending millions improving their sports facilities and installing new kit. Reporter Lyndsey Smith looks at how they are enticing students to enrol by offering impressive fitness suites.
Universities try to net students with investment SPORT at university and college has become a focal point for some students, according to industry experts. More than 1.7m students now regularly exercise and sports facilities have become so important that some of the biggest developments in the country have been at higher education establishments. Imperial College, London, invested £17m on a new sports centre to encourage students to get active two years ago – despite not offering sport as a subject academically. But Neil Mosley, head of sport, believes the success of its facilities is down to the fact that it is the only college in Britain to offer gym and swim for free. He said: “Central London is an expensive place to live and the academic courses here are tough. With the fee change, students are more discerning in where they go to study as they have to take a financial hit. “For some, sport is very much the focal point – particularly where youngsters have played sport at school, or in terms of overseas students who want to continue playing while studying in this country.” Chris Earle, director of sport at Loughborough University, the top ranked sports facility in the country, agrees that the value of sport has moved up the agenda. He added: “I think other establishments have finally recognised the PR value of sport and I certainly believe they have a responsibility to help students in terms of healthy living. “We have always attracted people who value sport so we haven’t noticed the increase as much as other universities have. A lot are investing and offering more diverse opportunities.” Durham University not only promotes its own central sports hub, but
it also has 16 feeder colleges in which it pushes physical activity for students. Quentin Sloper, assistant director of sport, said: “We have around 85 per cent to 92 per cent of students who play a variety of sports regularly. “We do have a lot of performance athletes here and we do cater for the elite, but we also deliver a series of fitness related classes that cater for everyone as well. “A lot of places are investing in facilties. We have a great coaching structure in place and students know if they come here they will benefit from the sporting facilities and staff we have in place – but others that aren’t so lucky do need to provide some sort of incentive. “A university’s sports department should be the hub of the community, the hub for the region’s sports. “It is an exciting time and certainly investment has had a significant impact.” Karen Rothery, chief executive of British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) said some universities are ahead of the game in terms of investment. She added: “Sport should be an intergral part of university life. Some sport departments are already ahead of the game, driving the healthy living agenda with programmed campus walks and developing volunteer and coaching qualifications to enhance students’ employability. “Many more are investing in facilities and equipment to provide cohesive and high-quality sporting opportunities to students. We know that sport can be a contributing factor when choosing a place to study and our next survey will go much further in finding out how sport, and sporting provision, impacts on the overall student experience.”
Chris Earle
Fact file I Over 1.7m students take part in regular physical activity I 4,500 sports teams operate on campus I 41 per cent of university sports teams are female I The most popular sports are rugby union, football and hockey I 170 championship finals take place annually I 57 per cent of the GB Team medal take at the Beijing Olympics was by university students or graduates I 67 per cent of visits to university sporting facilities are from students, with 26 per cent from community users and 8 per cent from staff I BUCS members operate £20bn worth of sporting facilities, including 145 fitness suites, 541 tennis courts and 139 sports halls
University in inclusive bid ROEHAMPTON University has created a new fitness facility to help provide inclusive access to health equipment for staff and students. A campus survey revealed that a gym was a top priority for pupils, leading to the installation of the £230,000 ROEActive centre including 40 IFI accredited Cybex CV and resistance stations. The new resource was constructed from an old IT suite, creating a 250 metre square gym as well as changing rooms and studios. The development is a central part of the university’s sport and well-being strategy, which aims to create additional sports space on
site. Ian Pickup, director of sport and well-being, said: “We have a broad commitment to promoting social justice, which means that we must ensure that our students, staff and community partners can access fully inclusive opportunities to be active.” The university also runs a Sports Performance Assessment and Rehabilitation Centre which is staffed by fully qualified sport and exercise scientists and aims to optimise the performance for all students and staff, whatever their ability. The centre provides sports science and sports medicine services
Pictures courtesy of the IFI and offers fitness testing, gait analysis, physiotherapy, massage and nutrition advice, all under one roof.
Future plans for the university now include creating new playing fields, a jogging track and an urban sports park.
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Ricky ready to welcome youngsters to new gym By Lyndsey Smith YOUNGSTERS in Manchester will have a great chance to improve their fitness after boxer Ricky Hatton received planning permission for a new gym. The IBO light welterweight champion plans to turn a former print works in Hyde, Manchester, into a £2m sporting complex which should be completed early next year. The three storey fitness centre plans to run children’s classes in various disciplines, along with the opportunity to utilise the boxing facilities on the second floor. Ricky’s agent Paul Speak said: “Young people will be able to use the facilities at the gym although an exact timetable of events is yet to be worked out. “It will have a full cardiovascular suite, free and fixed weights, a room for aerobic exercise and there will, of course, be great boxing facilities. ”The amount of money they are spending makes this a big concern and when completed it should be on a par with the likes of Fitness First.” The mixed gym will also have a creche, cafe, shop, coffee lounge with
Ricky Hatton internet access, sun beds, physiotherapy, beauticians plus offices for Punch Promotions. Ricky, who has won six belts at two
different weights, has formerly trained at Betta Bodies Gym in Denton which is run by body builder and nutritionist Kerry Kayes.
Get Active campaign offers rambling to rugby in keep fit bid By Lyndsey Smith A CAMPAIGN aimed at engaging youngsters and adults into sport was run in the Midlands last month. Get Active week provided the chance for people to experience something new to help them stay fit and maintain a healthier lifestyle. The week was organised by Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Sport (CSW Sport), with local authorities in these areas coupled with Nuneaton and Borough, Rugby, Stratford and Warwick, each designing a week long activity programme.
Tracey Murphy, from CSW Sport, believes the project shows exercise can be fun and need not seem like a chore. She said: “There is no need to think of running marathons, or swimming the channel, instead, imagine doing fun physical activities you enjoy and watch the benefits flow. “The recommended exercise target is only 30 minutes of moderate activity a day and it doesn’t even have to be in one go. “This campaign provided a wide varying programme of activities such as rambling, rugby, ballet, mar-
tial arts, badminton, boxing, aerobics, line dancing, tennis and canoeing. “We also aim to teach people the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet and lots of fruit and vegetables which are essential for good health.” The campaign was based on examples of best practice from across the country, including National Bike Week, Play Tennis and the Get Active Weeks in Northamptonshire, Liverpool and Swindon. Funding for the campaign has been provided by Community Investment
Firm helps light the way for many groups HENRY Cooch and Son Ltd are manufacturers of mobile and portable floodlighting units that we have supplied to many schools, universities, local authorities, football and rugby clubs. By having mobile or portable floodlighting many areas of sports fields can be used for sports or other activities on winter evenings, mobile units do not usually require planning permission. Why not visit our website
to view some of our range or contact us to discuss your particular requirements. By having mobile units that can be placed in areas not normally used you save wear and tear on the main areas. Units can be supplied without generators if a suitable electricity supply is available nearby. Details from 01732 884484, fax 01732 882681, email, henrycooch@btconnect.com or visit www.henrycooch.co.uk
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The Olympic legacy – inclusive of all? By Dean Horridge, Fit for Sport MY belief is that the Olympics coming to London in 2012 creates a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to engage all, from preparation to implementation, to making sure the legacy is sustainable through healthy lifestyle habit changes. We have not yet seen the legacy strategy for 2012 but have heard the discussions and I strongly believe that unless this event engages and changes the lives of children and families across the UK, we will have failed. Although the Olympics revolves around global elite athleticism I do support the Government’s recent turnaround which is towards an agenda stressing the importance of competitive sports and the winning mentality. Whether we want to accept it or not, competitive spirit to win is innate in most human beings of all ages and we must embrace this. Children have a natural tendency to
compete, for example even during a friendly match warm up. This should be encouraged, at the same time allowing us to teach our children the ability to convert losses into forward moving positives. The new addition to the Fit For Sport team is Olympian Roger Black, a man who knows only too well how solid support and the drive to win create champions. He will be advocating our school PE provision and spoke at Leisure Industry Week in September to discuss the future of the Olympic generation, and how we can work towards ensuring our children carry forward an ambition to be active whether competitively or for personal wellbeing. So what are the next steps? Engaging more children is paramount, therefore this means investing money at grassroots level including schools, extended schools and clubs. With such money being spent on Olympic quality facilities, which will ultimately form part of the legacy
Why there is still room for improvement ... By Jonathan Williams, SHOKK MD IN PARALLEL with the various obesity/ physical activity taskforces I now sit on and following some hugely interesting recent meetings I have been involved with, the topic of operational success and adult influence could never be more critical. This entire debate is at the crux of everything we do and say as influencers of young people. Are we doing enough? Are we providing adequate facilities? Adequate staff? Adequate training? Adequate opportunities? Adequate advice? If the answer to all of these is yes, fantastic. Although I have the sneaking suspicion that as the levels of obesity and inactivity are rising in every developed territory on the planet there is certainly room for improvement. It has been fascinating for me to see the youth industry grow but the biggest issue for me is, whilst people are seeing opportunities to cater for what is evidently a growing demand, is enough thought being put to those who really matter? I have had numerous conversations with operators who say they offer things for kids and their staff are youth focused but when you actually get to the delivery point the reality can be very different. How can we aim to make a difference when historically, the operators have hinted that ‘kids don’t make you money in health clubs’ a very narrow minded short term view. Although my response always was ‘how can you expect to be successful if you don’t engrain an holistic approach to dealing with young peo-
Jonathan Williams ple in your organisation?’ This message has now begun to get through, and our shift from supplier to operator bears testament to this. It is no surprise to me that as the quality and credibility of our offering has improved and increased the retention of our members dramatically, and so in turn the financial returns. SHOKK is as much about what a child eats when they are at home as it is about their conduct in a health club or leisure centre. Like every other demographic, young people, when they see and hear that they are receiving good service/ value for money, return. A varied, exciting and content rich approach are fundamental to this success.
Dean awarding a child for the 2008 Pitshanger Fit For Sport Fun Run, Ealing, London. which remains decades after 2012, we must make sure our children and their families benefit and are actually able to get to the stadiums, tracks and pools.
This requires funding for transport and other strategies post 2012, which will mean future generations are able to make their own dreams at the grounds where Olympians were born.
Computer games can make you fit argues Paul Barns, PE specialist at The Whitminster Centre, Stroud (part of Cotswold and Stroud Pupil Referral Service)
How playing the game works LAST year, as part of our work with the National Healthy Schools Programme, we began introducing Nintendo Wiis and PSX dance mats for use during break times and lunch hours. Many of the young people we deal with are ‘school phobic’ while others have been excluded from mainstream schools for behavioural issues. Our aim was to get every child and young person doing at least two hours of physical activity a week during school hours, but because they attend our centre on a part-time basis timetabling issues meant that it was difficult for us to organise conventional group sports activities. We conducted research by asking our children and young people what they liked to do in their spare time. We found that on average they spent 13.5 hours a week on computer games and decided to look at a range of active sports related games such as Tiger Woods Golf, Winter Olympic Games, Tennis, Football and Boxing – each one has proved a massive hit. Every break time, the Nintendo Wii and dance mat games are projected against a whiteboard allowing for a 60 inch screen. We allow our children to decide for themselves if and when they choose to use these facilities, and on average, three to four people are actively playing at any given time. A ‘winners scoreboard’ is used to encourage good behaviour and create a competitive edge and greater social interaction. We try not to enforce discipline through punishment, instead we operate a system of withdrawing game privileges which has been very effective in drawing out the best from our students. The other great aspect is that the scheme is very cost effective. Often we find that because it is difficult to
The games proved a massive hit engage the young people in sporting activities, we have to organise motivational sports trips such as watersports or dry slopes. However, this can require a great deal of fundraising effort in order to be sustainable. This initiative is sustainable, whilst at the same time producing visible and encouraging results. We’ve had a significant amount of interest from other schools and sports associations since we began trialling this. The Stroud School Sports Partnership has been looking at the idea and is now considering how it can introduce this concept into a much wider range of schools. Overall, I think a computer based approach to increasing participation in physical activity is really effective. Ultimately the measure of success for me, is that this is genuinely helping these young people to be more aware of and more motivated about their own health and fitness.
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Resource Directory Our brand new resource directory has been launched to provide you, the reader, with a quick reference guide to some of the leading suppliers working in Sports Education. Look out for more printed resource directories in 2008, and don’t forget to check out our online supplier directory by visiting www.futurefitness.uk.net/suppliers